The science bit

‘By putting our oxygen-absorbing material in the Repour smart stopper, we are able to continuously de-gas the oxygen from the air above the wine in the bottle, and from the wine itself, bringing the level of oxygen down below 0.05%,’ said the company’s website.

Lutz said that a slight vacuum is created, but which ‘isn’t what most people would think of as a vacuum.’

‘What happens is air, which is 21% oxygen, in the headspace is completely removed of oxygen with Repour. What is left is other inert elements in the air around us (Nitrogen gas primarily), but because Oxygen is absorbed and not replaced with anything, it creates and effective “vacuum”.’

Some experts questioned how effective the device would be in practice.

Geoff Taylor, of leading UK food lab and research group Campden BRI, told Decanter.com, ‘I hope I’m not being too cynical here, but when you’re launching a new product and making quite bold claims, these claims should be supported by independent scientific evidence. I don’t see any.’

He added, ‘If favourable the company would then use this independent report to highlight the virtues and values of the product.’

‘However, wines made using a more natural approach – ‘living wines’ – I sometimes keep them up to a week in the fridge (even the reds) and they are still showing well. Some even taste better after a second day of being open.’

‘It really depends on the style of winemaking, rather than the colour.’

A UK government funded study in 2012 showed that around £270 million of wine is wasted in households every year.